Rumours a total croc

By Eamonn Duff

TERRI IRWIN has responded for the first time to persistent rumours about the resting place of her husband, ''Crocodile Hunter'' Steve Irwin.

After his death in 2006, it was speculated Irwin, 44, was buried on private land within his beloved Australia Zoo in Queensland or cremated.

''Crocodile Hunter'' Steve Irwin.

As the third anniversary of his death approaches rumours remain that the ceremony involved a crocodile, in accordance with his last wishes.

But on Friday, through her lawyers, Terri Irwin said a claim that her husband was ''given as food to crocodiles'' was ''baseless'' and ''offensive''.

The bizarre rumours have circulated among Australia Zoo staff and the wider community for years.

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Last week, when The Sun-Herald approached Steve Irwin's father, Bob Irwin, he said the issue of his son's burial remained ''strictly taboo''.

Mr Irwin - who distanced himself from the zoo earlier this year and purchased a new property near Kingaroy - said: ''The subject to me is out of bounds. I don't have anything to do with Australia Zoo at the moment and the only person who is likely to talk is Terri. You would have to get the OK before I said anything.''

A family source said when news filtered through about Irwin's death, his family and friends converged at the zoo in shock and disbelief.

''That's when Bob found out about Steve's last wishes. It was Terri who made all the arrangements from there. She was in charge of it all.''

The family turned down offers for a state funeral, saying Irwin had regarded himself as ''just an ordinary bloke''.

Caloundra Council granted a special approval for the funeral to take place on private land.

A series of decoys were allegedly deployed so the assembled media had no idea where or when the service was due to take place.

Irwin's body was allegedly transported from a Caloundra funeral home to Australia Zoo at 2pm on Saturday September 9. The funeral car's arrival sparked reports that he could have been buried on zoo land.

Family and close friends, including Irwin's manager John Stainton, allegedly attended a barbecue, leaving just after sunset, suggesting a wake. However, the mystery deepened the next day when a marquee was sighted in a public no-go zone behind the zoo.

In her first television interview after the tragedy, Mrs Irwin told Ray Martin that she wanted to keep the details of his whereabouts secret.

''Steve had particular wishes for after he died and I carried out his particular wishes,'' she said, adding: ''He lived life so big that he just wanted some personal privacy at that point and I gave him that. So there's just a handful of people who will ever know.''

In January this year, Mrs Irwin held a private meeting at Australia Zoo with the world's most famous psychic, medium John Edward.

She said: ''I know Steve's gone but in some way he's still here. I feel him, I sense him. And I think that's very nice and soothing.''

EAMONN DUFF spent the week in Queensland seeking answers to the rumours about Steve Irwin's last wish that just won't go away.

MONDAY, AUGUST 3: I arrive in Queensland - again. This strange journey started for me last year when I heard that someone connected to Caloundra Council had alleged a local man had a bizarre last wish: to be fed to crocodiles.

I discovered the council had indeed granted special approval for Steve Irwin's funeral to take place at Australia Zoo and that it had sent a representative on the day. Hmm. Then, more recently, a senior Australia Zoo employee told me a crocodile had been ''part'' of the ceremony. Someone then pointed out a blog, posted in 2007, which read: ''I have just found out from a close family friend of the Irwins that [Steve] was fed to Bindi [the name of a crocodile at the zoo]. This was his final wish.'' Crikey! This sounds outlandish. I've got to put these whispers to the test.

TUESDAY: I find myself at a remote property three hours from Brisbane, which is home to Bob Irwin, father of Steve. Having sent a letter in advance, I waste no time in asking Bob if the rumours are true. ''Please tell me if I'm barking up the wrong tree,'' I say. He won't confirm or deny, saying he doesn't have the authority to talk. ''You would have to get the OK from Terri before I said anything,'' he says. ''Run it by her and we'll take it from there.''

WEDNESDAY: I speak to an Australia Zoo staff member and put the rumours to her. She says she cannot divulge details out of respect for Bob. I meet a long-standing zoo insider on the Sunshine Coast who reveals the rift between Bob and Terri has grown and Bob is also upset at losing contact with the man he considered as a second son, Steve's best friend, Wes Mannion.

THURSDAY: I visit Gregson and Weight, the Caloundra-based funeral home that assisted with the ceremony. Royce Gregson says: ''There's no story, nothing unusual happened.'' When asked why he and others had been sworn to secrecy, he says: ''The family just wanted privacy, that's all.'' I tell him that many zoo staff believe his funeral car was a decoy and that Steve's body was transported to private zoo land in a party hire vehicle, to throw media off the scent. ''I'm not talking about that,'' he says. Mr Weight suggests I call zoo general manager Frank Muscillo, who is married to Joy, Steve's sister. My calls go unanswered.

FRIDAY: I contact Sunshine Coast Regional Council cemeteries department and am told to submit questions to chief executive John Knaggs. I ask whether he is aware that someone within council - when it was Caloundra Council, before being amalgamated into Sunshine Coast Regional Council - has spoken to me about the funeral service involving a crocodile. He writes back: ''I understand appropriate arrangements were put in place following Mr Irwin's passing. Beyond that, these matters are private to the Irwin family.''

I request meetings at the zoo with either Wes Mannion or Terri but am told they are not available.

I meet with zoo communications manager Emma McCudden. She maintains the details of the service were ''private'' and denies a crocodile was involved. When I return to my computer, I discover a letter from a legal firm acting for Terri Irwin. She clearly refutes ''that the body of the late Steve Irwin was given as food to crocodiles''. ''Our client states such allegations are not only offensive but are baseless and without any foundation in truth whatsoever,'' the letter states.

SATURDAY: We've tried all week but while many speak with authority on the rumours, no one will put their name to them. They are unsubstantiated but persist. Terri won't talk to me. Wes won't talk to me. But their denial of the rumours is absolute - so perhaps they must be put to rest.